Love Me Back
by bramblestar96
Summary: It's Bramble X Squirrel all the way! Ashfur intervened more than I liked. But it makes it more... exciting, right? WARNING: May contain super sweetness in future chapters!
1. Chapter 1

**Love Me Back**

**Brambleclaw X Squirrelflight is one of my most favorite Warrior couple of all time. This is my first fanfiction. But I hope that you will enjoy it and please review! XD**

_**Disclaimer: bramblestar96 does not own the Warriors series. All characters in this fanfiction strictly belong to Erin Hunter. **_

Chapter 1

Brambleclaw sat and watched Squirrelflight slowly stalk a busy mouse, as it nimbly munched away at the nut. Then, with a swing of her bushy tail, Squirrelflight pounced, missing the mouse by just the length of the claw. The mouse escaped into the hole of a nearby tree as Squirrelpaw hissed frustratedly.

Her ears twitched as they detected a slight chuckle from the dark brown tabby tom. She whirled around, her fur beginning to bristle and snapped at him, "What's so funny? Is being unable to catch an extra piece of fresh-kill for the Clan funny?" Brambleclaw burst out laughing, "What? If you hadn't given that mouse the extra second to escape by swinging your bush of a tail, you could have given the Clan an extra piece of fresh-kill."

He ended with an affectionate whisper in her ear, " It's either the mouse, or your tail, get that, mousebrain?" He padded past her, waving his tail.

Squirrelflight sighed as she gazed longingly at where the mouse had escaped. Her bushy tail dulled as her fur laid back. Giving a last look at the mouse's hideout, she padded after Brambleclaw. Though he was already out of sight, his scent was carried by the leaves until a stronger scent hit her - the scent of fresh-kill. Then she remembered.

_"There's some prey around here. Can you smell it, Squirrelflight? What do you smell?" Brambleclaw asked, with the tone of an excited apprentice. "What do you think I am? A noseless Warrior?" Brambleclaw whipped around with surprise, "Squirrelflight? Why are you being such a grumpy furball today? Is everything alright?" Concern filled his amber eyes, as he sat down quietly with his tail wrapped around his paws neatly, as though they were chatting instead of hunting._

_"I-I..." Squirrelflight stammered before scolding herself for being such a stupid mousebrain. "Hey, aren't we supposed to be hunting? What are we sitting and waiting here for?" she snapped suddenly. He shook his head slightly as he got up and sighed, "Oh well, I guess we should go and hunt some more, huh?" Without another word, he turned his back on her and padded into richer hunting grounds, Squirrelflight following just right behind._

_A squirrel scooted by, attracted towards a fallen acorn on the other side of the path. Instinctively, Brambleclaw reached out his paw and dispatched it with a single blow. He set his hind legs to work as he kicked out a dent in the sandy ground to bury the piece of fresh-kill. "We'll take it back to the Clan later," he reminded her as he quickly padded away to avoid any aggravation of her temper._

She soon found the bump in the ground and dug up the squirrel. It still looked fresh, as its warmth encircled her tongue as she picked it up. Suddenly, the ferns behind her rustled. It sent shivers down her spine to stare at the trembling ferns as she dropped the squirrel. "Who's there? Show yourself! If you don't, I'll shred you!" She flexed her claws anxiously. Its powerful but familiar scent hit her a tad too late.

"Gotcha!" Brambleclaw erupted from the ferns as he pounced on Squirrelflight, his eyes glittering as he gazed down on his Clanmate. "I'll shred you!" he mimicked her as he got off her. She shook her ruffled pelt as she glared at him. However, his amber eyes softened her heart as she butted him in the chest, "Geez, and I thought that it was an intruder, or a rogue! You gave me a heck of a scare, you furball!" She returned his gaze with her friendly emerald green eyes.

"Come on, Squirrelflight! We've got a Clan to feed!" As he nudged the squirrel towards her. She looked at him uncertainly. "It's okay; I'll say that you caught it. You don't need to feel so guilty." He reassured her as he flicked her ear playfully with his tail. She swatted him back, picked up the fresh-kill and chased him all the way to the Thunderclan camp. But there was one thing that hit her like reality - his body was always a few steps out of reach. She suddenly missed his warmth when they curled up next to each other when it was moonhigh. _Why? Why was she feeling this way? What was it called? Love? Why could it feel like bliss at times and then it hurt suddenly?_ It made her miss him more and more. She was left to struggle with her love for him. It was difficult not to blush each time she made eye contact with him.

A burning question filled with doubt - _Did he love her back?_

**Well, Chapter 1 is finished. I hope I'm able come up with Chapter 2 soon! Once again, I hope you enjoyed it and please click the large button below to review. Thanks! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Love Me Back**

_Thank you, katienicole426, Insane. Certifiably and Sky Fireheart for your encouraging reviews! Here's Chapter 2! I hope you enjoy this fanfic and please review!_

_**Disclaimer: bramblestar96 does not own the Warriors series. All characters in this fanfiction strictly belong to Erin Hunter. **_

Chapter 2

Brambleclaw caught up with Ashfur as he padded out of the camp's entrance. "Hey! Ashfur! Do you want to go hunting? We still have time," Brambleclaw invited the gray warrior. It had been days since they had gone hunting together without being on a patrol. Little did Brambleclaw know that Ashfur had feelings for Squirrelflight, which caused him to harbor a little grudge against the dark brown tabby.

"I don't think I want to, I was just about to share tongues with Squirre-" Ashfur's lie was cut short when Brambleclaw good-naturedly answered, "Oh, then that's okay. I'll ask Squirrelflight to come along then! We'll go hunting next time, won't we?" Without waiting for Ashfur's reply, Brambleclaw padded away towards the dark ginger warrior, and they padded out of the camp, their pelts brushing.

Ashfur could not control a low growl when his plan backfired. Brambleclaw sure was stepping up to face him in his quest for love. _Just how close were those two going to get?_ Just then, he spotted Firestar looking after his daughter's disappearing frame, as a smile broke across his leader's face. _Oh great, don't tell me Firestar supports their relationship!_

Ashfur attempted to cover up his contempt as Firestar padded up to him, his mouth still holding that broad smile. "Those two look really great together, don't you think, Ashfur?"

"Well, yeah." Ashfur struggled to agree, the tip of his tail twitching restlessly.

Sensing the uneasiness in the gray warrior, Firestar quickly joined Sandstorm at the fresh-kill pile.

_"Squirrelflight is mine! I deserve her in my service to the Clan! I can't believe she's together with that bossy furball. How could she go with the son of Tigerstar, that traitor who killed my mother in cold blood! I will get you, Brambleclaw; for what your father did to my mother!" _Ashfur screeched in his mind as his sheer contempt grew into hate.

Squirrelflight leapt up to catch the fleeing butterfly as its spotted wings flapped furiously to avoid the bouncing she-cat's paws. "I thought only kits play with butterflies. What's up with you?" Brambleclaw's voice made the ginger warrior hesitate as the butterfly finally got its freedom as it flew out of her way.

"I don't know… I just feel like… like a kit again," she paused shyly, "I don't know what's come over me, Brambleclaw. I just feel as rejuvenated as a kit, that's all…" Brambleclaw gazed up towards the darkening sky, "Well, I guess that's all we can catch," referring to the two thrushes and a vole they had caught. Squirrelflight nodded and picked up a thrush by its wing. However, in taking a peek at the tabby warrior, she realized that he had spaced out while gazing into the evening sky. "Come on," she murmured through the bird's feathers, nudging his shoulder. "Welcome-ff back-ff to ff-earth, Brambleclaw," her voice was muffled by the large piece of feathered prey in her mouth. "Oh, sorry, I just spaced out, that's all…" he apologized as the tip of his tail twitched uneasily. He picked up the thrush and the vole, and with a flick of his tail, they padded back to camp.

"A… fresh-kill for your thoughts?" Squirrelflight asked as they waited for their Clan leader to come out of his den. "It's nothing, really," Brambleclaw replied, without looking at her. A little of Squirrelflight's cheekiness returned to her as she countered back, "Okay, let's make a deal."

"A deal?"

"Yes, a deal. If we go hunting tomorrow, the one who catches the least fresh-kill must tell the winner his thoughts, alright?"

"Alright, alri- Wait a minute. His?" Brambleclaw turned to stare into his Clanmate's green eyes.

"Well, naturally, I have my mother's hunting skills, so… I'll probably win," Squirrelflight mewed teasingly. "Hey, no way!" he answered in mock protest as he tackled her to the ground, their tails waving playfully.

"Okay, oka-" Squirrelflight stopped as she met Ashfur's angry glare. "Ashfur? Are you… okay?" Squirrelflight asked innocently as Brambleclaw got off her, his amber eyes fully meeting Ashfur's cold blue ones.

"I'm sure you fully know that you are no longer kits but warriors that fight for our Clan, right?" Matching his blue eyes, Ashfur's voice was icy cold. "Why are you so hard on Brambleclaw?" Squirrelflight's temper got the better of her.

"What? Brambleclaw? I was talking to you two mousebrains."

"No, you were glaring at Brambleclaw the whole time you said that!" Squirrelflight angrily countered, her emerald green eyes level with the older tom's eyes.

"Alright, I'm sorry, Ashf-" Brambleclaw's apology was cut short by Squirrelflight who stopped him, "You don't need to apologize, Brambleclaw. Ashfur's just being a grouchy furball."

Ashfur's glare turned on Squirrelflight's angry stare. Neither showed signs of backing down until Firestar's voice rang out across the clearing, "It's time to go to the Gathering!"

Squirrelflight shot one last glare at Ashfur before joining Brambleclaw and the rest of the Clan cats.

_I swear by StarClan, Squirrelflight. You'll be mine one day._ Ashfur vowed in his heart to make Squirrelflight his.

**Author's note: Okay, I finished Chapter 2. I hope you enjoyed it and please continue to review! (Hehe, I'm not great at Author's Notes, haha)**


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